Nozzle in the form of cervical caps



Nov. 4, 1952 E. M. GREENB ERG NOZZLE IN THE FORM OF CERVICAL CAPS FiledMay 18, 1950 INVENTOR.

EMA NUEL M. GQEENBEQG s w ht ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE NOZZLE IN THE FORM OF CERVICAL CAPS Emanuel MartinGreenberg, New York, N. Y.

Application May 18, 1950, Serial No. 162,755

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cervical caps designed forartificial insemination, the treatment of dysmenorrhea, and for theinjection of gas or radio-opaque media into the uterus for diagnosticpurposes.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a device for theconservation of sperm especially where the count is border line or loweither in quantity or quality or both by preventing the regurgitation ofsperm by muscular contraction or by gravity.

Another object is to provide a device that will permit flushing thesperm with a physiologically amicable solution so that as much of thesperm as possible reaches the upper levels of the uterus.

It is also an object to provide a device that can be used in artificialinsemination, in the treatment of dysmenorrhea, or for diagnosticpurposes.

Other objects of the instant invention will become apparent in thecourse of the following specification.

In the attainment of these objectives, the cervical cap is a cup-likedevice internally threaded for removable attachment to the cervix uteri.Through the bottom of the cap is an internally threaded opening in whichis removably inserted a sperm chamber, and to the bottom of the spermchamber is removably attached a valve member. The valve member and spermchamber are so designed that the valve may be inserted directly into thethreaded opening of the cap without the sperm chamber such as would benecessary where the cervical canal is too narrow for acceptance of thechamber.

The invention will appear more clearly when considered in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings showing by way of example a preferredembodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of the cervical cap, assembled with spermchamber and valve member, on an enlarged scale, and constructed inaccordance with the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of the cervical cap assembled with the valvemember but without the sperm chamber, and having a portion of thesurface broken away to more clearly show the internal construction; and

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the cervical cap, sperm chamber, andvalve member shown in Figure 2.

Referring now in greater detail to the draw- 2 ings where like referencenumerals indicate like parts, reference numeral l0 indicates the cervix,l I the cervical cap, l2 the sperm chamber,

and I3 the valve member.

The cervical cap II is made from any suitable material substantially inthe form of a cup with open top as illustrated. The inner surface of thecap has formed thereon a spiral thread as shown in Figure 2 forattachment to the cervix, and through the bottom of the cap at thecenter is an internally threaded circular opening. Around the peripheryof the circular opening is a collar H which extends inwardly to aid inthe support of the later described sperm chamber I2.

Removably inserted through the collar i4 is the hollow sperm chamber l2of circular cross section. The base [6 of the chamber I2 is of enlargeddiameter, compared with the remainder of the tube, and has a threadedopening in the bottom communicating with a longitudinal opening formedthrough the chamber or the hollow interior thereof. Adjacent the base[6, the chamber has an externally threaded portion IS. The chamber isalso tapered between the threaded portion l5 and the opposite end or topso that the diameter of the cross section adjacent the top is less thanthat adjacent the threaded portion. Moreover, both the diameter andnumber of threads per unit of length of the opening in the bottom of thecap and the opening in the bottom of the chamber are identical.

Threaded into the opening in the base member it of the sperm chamber l2or directly into the opening in the cap II is the manually operatedshut-off valve member 13. The valve l3 may be connected by slipconnection, hose connection. or the known Luer-Lock connection to asyringe or any other necessary apparatus. At the top, the valve memberI3 may have an externally threaded portion of reduced diameter, thenumber of threads per unit of length being the same as in the case ofthe internally threaded base of the chamber 12 or the bottom opening inthe cap ll. Through the valve member I3 is a longitudinal passageway Hwhich communicates with the longitudinal opening in or the interior ofthe hollow sperm chamber l2 when the valve i8 is open. Of course, thesperm chamber and valve member could be integrally formed as well as thechamber and cap and each member may be of any desired size.

In operation, the cervical cap H is attached to the cervix uteri withthe aid of the internally threaded surface of the cap. The sperm chamberl2 with a capsule l9 filled with sperm pro-.

truding from the top is next inserted through the opening in the bottomof the cap and into the cervical canal. The sperm chamber is thenremovably fastened in the threaded opening of the cap by the coastingthreaded portions previously described. The valve [3 is next threadedinto the bottom of the chamber and the valve closed, if desired, or openfor the attachment of a syringe (not shown) containing additional spermfor injection, later followed by the injection of a suitable solutionfor flushing the sperm into the uterus. On the other hand, the sperm maybe inserted directly into the chamber, the open top of which is closedby an empty capsule while the chamber is being inserted. Upon thedissolution of the capsule, a syringe charged with the same or similaramicable solution is attached to the open end of the valve member forflushing the sperm into the uterus and the valve is then closed. Wherethe cervical canal is of pin point construction, the cap I2 is attachedin the manner previously described and a capillary gelatin tube chargedwith sperm introduced into the canal through the opening in the capwhereupon the valve !3 is attached directly to the cap and closed. Inthe treatment of dysmenorrhea it is common knowledge that dilation ofthe cervical canal aids many cases. The sperm chamber will accomplishthis dilation. The cap is equally well adapted for injecting, by wellknown instruments passed through the opening in the base, gas orradio-opaque media for diagnostic purposes. The cap with the valve butwithout the sperm chamber is also suitable for the collection of samplesused in studies of exfoliative cytology of the cervix and uterus, suchas in the study of cancer.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exactdisclosure herein described but may lend itself to a variety ofexpressions within the scope of the appended claims. For example, thethree units above described may be made as one unit.

What is claimed is:

,1. A cervical cap comprising a cup-like body with open top adapted tocoact with the cervix, the inner surface of the body having at least oneturn of a spiral thread formed thereon and the body at the center havinga circular opening formed therethrough, the opening being threaded; anelongated hollow sperm chamber of circular cross section removablydisposed in the opening, the base of the chamber terminating in aportion of enlarged diameter and having an internally threaded openingin the end, the diameter of the internally threaded opening being thesame as the diameter of the threaded opening in the cap and the numberof threads per unit of length the same in both, the outer surface of thechamber adjacent the enlarged base being threaded and coacting with theinternally threaded opening in the cap, the outer surface of the chamberfurther having at least one turn of a spiral thread formed thereon; thecervical cap further comprising a valve member removably disposed in thethreaded opening in the base of the sperm chamber, the valve memberhaving a longitudinal passageway communicating with 4 the interior ofthe sperm chamber, and means for opening and closing the valvepassageway.

2. A cervical cap in combination with a sperm chamber, the capcomprising a single cup-like body with open top adapted to coact withthe cervix, the cup-like body having a spiral thread formed on the innersurface thereof, the sperm chamber comprising an elongated hollow bodyremovably disposed through the bottom of the cap, the top of the hollowbody extending above the open top of the cap and the bottom of thehollow body extending below the bottom of the cap.

3. A cervical cap in combination with a sperm chamber, the capcomprising a single cup-like body with open top adapted to coact withthe cervix, the cup like body having a spiral thread formed on the innersurface thereof, the sperm chamber comprising an elongated hollow bodyremovably disposed through the bottom of the cup-like body, at least aportion of the hollow body being tapered in the direction of the opentop of the cup-like body, the tapered portion having a spiral threadformed on the outer surface thereof, and the top of the hollow bodyextending above the open top of the cup-like body and the bottom of thehollow body extending below the bottom thereof.

4. A cervical cap comprising a cup-like body with open top adapted tocoact with the cervix, the cup-like body having a threaded openingformed through the bottom thereof at the center, a sperm chamberthreaded through the opening, the sperm chamber having a longitudinalopening formed therethrough and the outer surface havin' a spiral threadformed thereon, the top of the sperm chamber extending above the opentop of the cup like body and the bottom of the chamber extending belowthe bottom of the cuplike body, the longitudinal opening at the bottomof the chamber being internally threaded, the pitch and diameter of thethreads being identical with the pitch and diameter of the threads ofthe threaded opening of the cup-like body, and a shut-off valveremovably threaded into the longitudinal opening in the bottom of thesperm chamber, the valve having a passageway adapted to be aligned withthe longitudinal opening in the sperm chamber in one position andadapted to close the longitudinal opening in a second position.

EMANUEL MARTIN GREENBERG REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 635,004 Souder Oct. 17, 1899696,728 Eddy Apr. 1, 1902 724,913 Montgomery Apr. 7, 1903 2,153,753Eayton Apr. 11, 1939 2,295,062 Townsend Sept. 8, 1942 2,392,045 HudginsJan. 1, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 587,231 Germany Nov. 1,1933

